Kirkland & Ellis' City arm has secured a high-profile boost for its European practice after recruiting the Serious Fraud Office's (SFO's) head of bribery and corruption, Satnam Tumani.

Tumani will join Kirkland as a partner in the US giant's white collar crime practice at the end of the month in what will be regarded as a key hire for the firm.

At the SFO, he was responsible for the operational delivery of cases from acceptance through to investigation and prosecution at the SFO, and acted as one of the lawyers on the controversial abandoned probe into property investor Vincent Tchenguiz.

The news follows a series of senior departures from the SFO to US law firms in London, with many corporate law firms currently moving to bolster their white collar crime practices in Europe in response to the tougher current stance on corporate wrong-doing.

Last year, former head of the anti-corruption team, Robert Amaee, left for an of-counsel position at Covington & Burling, with one-time head of policy Charlie Monteith taking a similar position at White & Case. Other departures to US firms have included Glyn Powell, who left the SFO's fraud business area for Jones Day, and general counsel Vivian Robinson QC's move to McGuireWoods in April last year.

The SFO itself has been hit in recent years by budget cuts, uncertainty about its future and intense criticism of its handling of several cases.

Kirkland London head of dispute resolution Chris Colbridge (pictured) told Legal Week: "We are thrilled that Satnam is joining the firm. As head of the SFO's bribery and corruption department, Satnam is an outstanding addition to our investigations and white collar defence practice."

"This complements our global team of former government enforcement officials and prosecutors in our offices in the US, Europe and Asia," he added.

Tunami is the first government official to join Kirkland's London practice. In the US, the top 10 US law firm counts Chicago-based partner and former Deputy Attorney General Mark Filip, as well as New York-partner Michael Garcia, a former states attorney for the Southern District of New York.

Kirkland, one of the US's top disputes shops and well established for advising on actions under the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, is looking to establish itself as a major force in global investigations work in Europe.

Tumani was one of the first trainee solicitors employed by the SFO, which he joined in 1995. In his time at the government body, he has assisted senior prosecutors on a number of market abuse cases, as well as casework including corruption, commercial fraud, insider dealing and investment frauds.

SFO director David Green QC commented: "I am sorry to see Satnam leave the SFO. I greatly appreciate the significant contribution that Satnam has made to the SFO over many years. He leaves with my encouragement and support for his future career and I am sure he will be great asset to Kirkland & Ellis."

Elsewhere, Pinsent Masons has also bolstered its white collar crime team with a double hire, including a noteworthy recruit from the SFO. Anne-Marie Ottaway joins the firm as an associate after 13 years at the SFO, where she was a case manager in the bribery and corruption business area with specific responsibility for corporate self-reporting.

Meanwhile, Kim Green joins as a solicitor from boutique white collar crime team Byrne & Partners where she acted for clients in some of the Financial Services Authority's biggest investigations, and c`ases involving insider dealing, VAT fraud, money laundering and fraud.

Barry Vitou, the head of Pinsent Masons' corporate crime team, said: "Anne-Marie and Kim are two top-tier additions to our very busy team. They both bring a wealth of experience. Kim has already built up a truly impressive level of exposure to high-profile cases defending serious fraud prosecutions, while Anne-Marie brings invaluable experience from an enforcement perspective."

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